One of the oldest major sporting
events in the Pacific Northwest is the Pepsi Nightfire Nationals.
The signature event of Firebird Raceway takes place in the foothills
above Idahos capital city of Boise, a 47th year tradition
in western Idaho. Both AA/Funny Car and AA/Fuel Dragster took
center stage in the NHRA Hot Rod Heritage Series chase all three
days competing on what was the hottest weather weekend of racing
in track history.

Tom Shelar and his High Speed
Motorsports team came into Boise riding a wave of success that
hasn't been seen in this class for several years. Their sole
intent was to win the race and extend their already large points
lead. Mission accomplished.

Driving through violent tire-shake,
Mendy Fry took the 47th Pepsi Nightfire Nationals Top Fuel victory
running Low ET and Top Speed of the meet. Her 5.66 ET at 254
MPH blast in the High Speed Motorsports AA/Fuel dragster
at Firebird Raceway in Boise, Idaho punctuated a incredible display
of performance and driving. It [tire shake] was pretty
bad  I didnt think I was going to make it. The team
gave me a great car, and I didnt screw up, said Mendy.

Runner-up Dusty Green pushed
Steve Harwoods Nitro-Hemi to a 6.04 ET at 198
MPH in the final after his holeshot-assisted 2nd-round battle
with Pete Wittenberg was settled by few thousandths of a second
margin of victory. It was a great weekend for the Nitro-Hemi
team. We had a good run against Pete and just didnt have
enough for the High Speed Motorsports team, said Dusty.

After tire smoke in the first
qualifying session, Fry carded low ET on every session/round
the rest of the weekend. With a skip in their step the team will
be contesting the Nitro Nationals at Osage Casino Tulsa Raceway
Park in Tulsa, OK. September 21-22.

But for now, on behalf of High
Speed Motorsports, we hope you enjoy this in-depth coverage of
another huge win.

Photos by Arlene Eliason

TOP FUEL QUALIFYING
SESSION 1

Friday 3:30 - The last car out
for the session was Mendy Fry in the High Speed Motorsports points
leading fueler.

High Speeds perpetual
out front back up guy, Walt Stevens did his thing.

After a great 60' time
the drag would not hold the Shelar tune-up.

Up in smoke, Fry did
the right thing shutting off and coasting through.

TOP FUEL QUALIFYING
SESSION 2

Because of their abreviated run
in Q1, Fry had to go first in the second Friday's second qualifying
session. This turned out to be a good thing.

Car Chief Rick Shelar
fired the engine and removed the starter.

Team owner and crew chief,
Tom Shelar made his final adjustments to the fuel system.

The car left hard and
recorded great early numbers.

Give Shelar one run on a track
that fails and you can bet his second shot will be on target.
Fry went from #8 to #1 with a 5.774 at just 213.91 which suggested
it was a 1000' hit.

TOP FUEL QUALIFYING
SESSION 3

The third and final qualifying
session went off on Saturday and Mendy Fry was paired off with
good friend Adam Sorokin driving the Champion Speed Shop entry
out of San Fransicso.

Bob McClennan made the
final adjustment on his car, Shelar did the same.

Fry left before green
but in qualifying that matters not.

Once again Fry wows the field
with a 5.68 at 249.81 which cemented her #1 spot while Soroking
stayed #2 with a 5.850 at 237.71.

TOP FUEL ELIMINATIONS
ROUND ONE

Shelar chose to be the last pair
of the session. This could have easily beeen a final at most
races, Mendy Fry and defending Top Fuel champion Jim Murphy.
However, at this race Murphy had nothing but trouble in qualifying
and Fry did not. It was #1 vs #8.

Neither RT was stellar
yet both cars basically left together.

But as fate would have it Murphy
again had engine issues and was forced to shut off. It mattered
not to Fry you ran low ET of the meet. Her 5.678 at 253.47 was
just another statement in what was becoming a long list of High
Speed statements.

TOP FUEL ELIMINATIONIONS
ROUND TWO

Its Sunday and is the norm in
Boise, this stands were a mere reflection of the large crowds
of Friday and Saturday, Church you know.

For round two it was
the right lane 2nd pair. Mendy Fry faced the ever improving Tyler
Hilton.

Fry got a slight jump
but Hilton hung in.

Fry pulled away to another stellar
pass. Her 5.697 at 231.00 got the best of a game Hilton who stepped
up with a career best 5.886 at 249.81. Fry would meet Dusty Green
in the final.